1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a gas-detection sensor and more particularly to a solid state mass spectrograph which is micro-machined on a semiconductor substrate.
2. Background Information
Various devices are currently available for determining the quantity and type of molecules present in a gas sample. One such device is the mass-spectrometer.
Mass-spectrometers determine the quantity and type of molecules present in a gas sample by measuring their masses. This is accomplished by ionizing a small sample and then using electric and/or magnetic fields to find the charge-to-mass ratio of the ion. Current mass-spectrometers are bulky, bench top-sized instruments. These mass spectrometers are heavy (100 pounds) and expensive. Their big advantage is that they can be used in any environment.
Another device used to determine the quantity and type of molecules present in a gas sample is a chemical sensor. These can be purchased for a low cost, but these sensors must be calibrated to work in a specific environment and are sensitive to a limited number of chemicals. Therefore, multiple sensors are needed in complex environments.
A need exists for a low-cost gaseous detection sensor that will work in any environment.